Bad King Klaus: The Failings of a Czech President

[sysop]

Vaclav Klaus will leave office next week after more than a decade as president of the Czech Republic. Although he played an important role in his country's history, his legacy is likely to be marred by his controversial positions on the European Union, climate change and often blatant populism.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-885928.html

[Inglenda2]

Although Vaclav Klaus will leave office next week, after more than a decade as president, there are still far too many nationalists and old communists in the Czech Republic for that country to become a truly valid member of the EU.
Many of the crimes against humanity, for which the former Czechoslovakia was responsible, are even today denied, or where admitted, there is no sign of any form of compensation being offered to the victims.
A nation which lies about its past can hardly be trusted in the future, but all too few Czechs, especially in the world of politics, show a readiness to be honest about what happened following WW2.
Vaclav Klaus may go, but his way of thinking is unfortunately, for the Czech Republic and Europe, quite common among the population.

[Jiri_P]

Klaus' worst legacy is his populism and that he always seemed to be standing by the 'bad guys' who's deeds he has never been able to condemn. It's a shame he was our president, both internationally and domestically.